


Stitches

by Rosetylars



Series: Cricverse [17]
Category: Cricket RPF, Sports RPF
Genre: Established Relationship, Injury, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:35:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25761460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosetylars/pseuds/Rosetylars
Summary: A short ball from Jofra Archer strikes Kez on the face during the World Cup semi-final 2019.
Relationships: Alex Carey/Kane Richardson
Series: Cricverse [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1755766
Comments: 13
Kudos: 14





	Stitches

**Author's Note:**

> This story is preceded by [No strings attached,](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25439065) but can be read on its own.
> 
> ***  
> World Cup semi-final, 2019.

It was the day of the World Cup semi-final against England. Australia batted first, and the top order crumbled - Aaron, Dave and Pete were all out in six overs, so Alex was required at the crease early, when the team had fallen to 3/14. 

Kane had a warm glow in his stomach as he watched his boyfriend head out to bat. 

He had always loved watching Alex play - in the beginning, it was as a proud friend, excited to see the younger man put in good performances. Kane felt as though every good score, or contribution to a match, helped Alex feel more like this was the sport he was meant to be playing. Some time after that, Kane started to see Alex in a different light - appreciating the gorgeous glint in those stunning blue eyes when he smiled, appreciating the stretch of tight uniform over that gorgeous, sexy, broad back, not to mention the curve of his bum and thighs as he practiced keeping drills… Kane had invented more reasons to require a drink break behind Alex’s workspace than he would care to admit, over the years.

But now, Alex was actually Kane’s. They had been together, officially, for just over a week, though Kane had had feelings for Alex for the better part of a decade. And that meant Kane felt even more nervous watching him bat.

Zamps was sitting beside Kane on the balcony. Mitch was on Adam’s other side, deep in conversation with Pat. Pat probably should have been more focused on the match, since he was actually playing, and at the rate the wickets were tumbling, he would probably be required sooner rather than later. Instead, though, Pat was murmuring something to Mitch, idly playing with his boyfriend’s fingers. 

“Nervous?” Adam asked Kane gently. 

“Yeah,” Kane replied without thinking. His eyes widened, worried he’d just given his feelings for Alex away. 

Adam squeezed Kane’s thigh supportively. “Kane… are you and Kezza together?” Adam asked quietly. 

Kane nodded, unable to lie to his best friend of nearly a decade. “As of like, a week ago,” he admitted. 

Adam grinned, rubbing the back of Kane’s neck fondly. “Proud of you, mate. It’s not like you two haven’t been involved for years already,” he pointed out. 

Kane knew that was true, but it still felt special to be in an exclusive relationship. 

Adam bumped Kane with his shoulder. “Welcome to the club,” he teased. 

Kane smiled softly, at that. “Is Marcus next in to bat?”

“Yeah,” Adam exhaled. “He had to pad up pretty quickly… didn’t exactly expect to be next in, so soon,” he explained.

Kane nodded, grimacing a fraction at the reminder of the team’s score.

A nervous quiet settled over the Australian camp as Alex prepared to face his first ball. Kane held his breath as Woakes ran in. It was a good delivery that caught the outside edge of Alex’s bat, and for the shortest fraction of a second, Kane thought that would be it - but luckily, it didn’t carry to Root at second slip, dropping to the ground harmlessly.

Kane exhaled, relieved. Alex and Steve managed to take a run from it, and Steve defended the rest of Woakes’ over.

The next over was bowled by Archer. Alex defended the first ball, and they took three from the second. Steve defended the third ball, then took a risky single from the fourth, nearly getting run out in the process. The fifth ball, to Alex, was a dot. 

But the final ball of the over was where it all went wrong.

It was a short ball that reared up and hit Alex in the head. His helmet flew off with the impact, and somehow, Alex was mindful enough to catch it before it hit the stumps. Later, Kane would realise that was a good example of Alex’s brilliant reflexes that served him so well as a keeper. In the moment, though, he just felt a jolt of shock. The sound of the impact was sickening, and a bubble of panic rose in Kane’s chest.

And then the blood started flowing. 

The big screen provided everyone with a view of Alex’s chin, cut open, dripping blood onto the grass. Kane swallowed back bile. He had stood up from his seat with shock, and Adam was behind him, a calming hand on his lower back. The action helped ground him a fraction, but he was still panicking. There was so much blood. 

The team doctor eventually patched it up enough for the blood to stop flowing freely, but Alex was left with a huge bandage around his head, and he bled through it within a couple of overs, so it needed more patching up.

The whole time, Kane was shaking. He didn’t realise Adam was speaking to him until he felt a warm hand between his shoulder blades, and turned to look at him.

“Kane,” Adam repeated gently. “He’s tough. He’s okay. Look how strong he is, out there, still fighting.”

Kane nodded minutely, trying to convince himself that Adam was right.

Alex hit his first boundary an over after he was hit, and after that, he and Steve managed to put together a decent partnership. They lasted an incredible 21 overs together, before Alex was caught out, falling just four runs short of a half century. His partnership with Steve was worth an incredible 103 runs. Alex had stood so strong after Australia’s extremely rocky start, and Kane was so proud of him.

Kane waited for him just inside the door of Australia’s locker room, pulling him into his arms wordlessly, pressing the softest of kisses to his cut chin, as if he could kiss the pain away. Alex had bled through this bandage, too, and Kane knew the team doctor was probably going to take him away for some stitches.

“I’m so proud of you, Kezza,” Kane said gently, gripping both sides of Alex’s waist, muscled torso under his palms.

Alex sighed, leaning forward and resting his head on Kane’s chest. “I wish I could’ve stayed out there. We need more of a score if we’re gonna have any chance of defending it,” he mumbled. 

Kane sighed, bringing one of his hands up to tangle through Alex’s golden blonde curls. “You were brilliant, Kezza. I’ve never been so proud of you,” he replied. 

Alex met his eyes, at that, touched, leaning up to press a soft kiss to his boyfriend’s lips. 

“How badly does it hurt?” Kane asked, looking at the blood seeping through the tape. 

Alex winced slightly at the question, breaking Kane’s heart. “It’s fine,” Alex lied, looking away. 

Kane frowned, tilting Alex’s head up to meet his eyes with a very gentle hand under the unharmed side of his chin. “It’s not fine,” Kane countered.

They were interrupted, though, by a lot of noise from outside. Marcus was out, dismissed for a two ball duck. 

Alex sighed, and Kane pressed a kiss to his forehead. 

Soon after that, Adam and Marcus came to the locker room, too. 

Kane met Alex’s eyes, having a wordless conversation. Alex nodded, both in agreement that they should give Adam and Marcus some space. 

Marcus slumped down to the bench in front of his locker space, and Adam gave his South Australian teammates half a grateful smile as they left. 

***  
As it turned out, Alex did need stitches, and Kane sat with him in the treatment room for moral support. The procedure seemed to affect Kane more than Alex, though - Kane squirmed and grimaced dramatically as the needle closed up the gash on Alex’s face, while Alex was stoic.

Once they were done, the doctor headed back down to the boundary, leaving the boys in the treatment room alone. 

Alex was sitting on the edge of a massage table, and Kane walked over to join him, standing between Alex’s spread legs. 

Kane looked down at Alex, grimacing in sympathy when he saw the stitched-up cut up close. 

“Are the stitches at least neat?” Alex joked. 

“Nothing could damage that pretty face, babe,” Kane replied, grinning with his tongue between his teeth. “But, it does look pretty swollen. How badly does it hurt?” 

“It doesn’t, it’s fine,” Alex lied. 

Kane levelled him with a look. “Alex Tyson, don’t feed me bullshit,” he warned. 

Alex’s eyes darkened. “Why, would that get me in trouble?” He smirked. 

Kane grinned, gripping the good side of Alex’s face and swiping a thumb over his cheekbone. 

Alex leant into his touch, placing one of his own hands over Kane’s. They shared a gentle moment, and Kane leant in to press a careful kiss to Alex’s lips. 

After a slow, leisurely kiss, Alex seemed to think of something, and chuckled softly. 

“What’s funny?” Kane asked, amused. 

“I just realised something,” Alex began, making Kane quirk an eyebrow. Alex gestured to the stitches on his chin. “This is gonna make sucking your dick a bit more difficult,” he deadpanned. 

Kane choked with laughter until he had tears in his eyes. It took him a minute to compose himself, and he shook his head fondly at his boyfriend. “You’re naughty,” Kane teased. 

“You love it.” Alex poked his tongue out, but the action shot pain through his injured chin, and he grimaced. 

Kane sighed, pecking Alex’s lips gently. “Come on, let’s go join the team.”

***  
The match wasn’t pretty, and Kane had a ripping headache by the end, probably in sympathy with Alex’s own head injury.

The mood was very flat in the Australian camp after the match, so it felt like a relief by the time Kane and Alex got back to the comfort of their hotel room.

“I need a shower,” Alex declared as soon as they got inside. 

Kane leant down and pressed a kiss to Alex’s shoulder. “I’ll supervise. You’ve had a head knock, after all,” he deadpanned.

Alex giggled, a blush rising on his cheeks. “You just want to see me naked and wet,” he teased.

“You know it,” Kane agreed, grinning. Alex turned and headed to the ensuite, grinning over his shoulder at Kane.

Kane followed him. Gladly.

***  
By the time they were in bed, sleepy and satisfied, Kane pulled Alex into a hug. His face was bruised and sore, and the stitches looked painful. Kane pressed a feather light kiss to the sore area. 

“How badly does it hurt?” Kane asked gently, combing a hand back through Alex’s golden curls. 

“Not as badly as losing hurts,” Alex replies honestly.

Kane nodded with understanding. The loss hurt him, too, even though he wasn’t in the eleven. 

“We came so close,” Kane murmured.

Alex nodded, and they shared a thoughtful silence, Alex’s head resting over Kane’s heart. 

“I wouldn’t change anything about this tour, though. I’m so happy we were finally honest with each other about our feelings,” Alex mused, after a while.

Kane grinned, ducking his head to drop kisses into Alex’s hair. “Me, too. You’re mine, now.” 

Alex shifted in the circle of Kane’s arms so that he could lean up and kiss him. 

“I always have been,” Alex murmured.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
